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Tweedhill - You must not be a Dr. Bobby patient as he is the one who gave me this info and I have attended the 1st meeting Lapband only group on 2/5 Yes - Desert Hospital (Palm Springs)has labpand only support group on the 1st Tuesday of the month - 3/4 - 4/1 - 5/6 & 6/3 At the Stergios Building at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m - Call Marsha Yosef program member - 760 323 6346 There is also support group at the JFK medical center on Washington in Palm Desert on last Monday of the month - this is for everyone - banded & bypass it's at 6-8 too 2/25 - 3/24 Strenght Training) - 4/28 (new coping skills)- 5/26- (eating onf vacation) 6/23 Joining Life- they have actual speakers at these meetings. There are a few of us from the Coachella Valley on this board. I love LBT as it is open 24/7 - and support group is only once a month..

I had band to bypass revision on 3/28. I had my band removed on 12/17 due to complications. I had no problem getting approved, just had to stay above BMI requirements, which wasn't a problem around the holidays, lol. Good luck! Sent from my LG-H631 using the BariatricPal App

Come on Kristol you weight 188? that was lower than where I started. You can absolutely work your band. I personally would not want bypass surgery unless it was an emergency. Breaks ups and life in General suck sometimes but you have to love yourself enough to want to be healthy and thin.. Get back on that horse honey and you will be way better off than having a major surgery. Carnie Wilson had bypass and ate her way back up to her original weight and then some.. She now has a band over the bypass. There is no fool proof system. Your Surgeon wants to make $$$$ ....

Hi Helen, Just 3 lb off 4 stone in less than 7 months is brilliant. Well done :rose: I too struggled over xmas with all the chocs around but at least we are not putting weight on and must be excused for the odd hiccup or two. I didnt lose weight for 6 weeks and was getting realy dispondent but as it took me 25 years to put this weight on I guess its not going to dissapear overnight. I went back to the beginning and dug out all my old food records from November to see what I was eating then and gave myself a good talking too.This last fill has definately made a difference. Perhaps you need to review your food choices to get back on track. Good luck to you. Julie

So my mom had lapband October 2006. I had lap band November 2009. She has lost like 65lbs total. Well she was down to a size 14, and became severely anemic and was told to either have a blood transfusion or gain weight. So she took all her fill out, gained 20lbs, and hasn't taken it back off. Back when she was a size 14 she was working out pretty much every day and eating a lot better. Well now she's going to see a revision specialist to talk about getting bypass. Even though she wouldn't let me get the bypass or the sleeve, told me she wouldn't support me, nor pay for it. Now she eats candy all day/every day, doesn't work out, nothing. She wouldn't even play wii Fit w/ me. A lady in her office had bypass and has lost like 95lbs, but she also lost some of her hair and has sagging skin. What can I say to convince my mom this is stupid and she's not giving her lapband a chance? Besides saying exactly that, because I tried that. She smirked and ignored me.

Hello new friends, I am probably on here super early. I don't have a doctor, surgery date, or any of that yet. I can only tell you that about 4 days ago, I got to a point where I was disgusted at the weight I've gotten to. I began crying to my mother (who by the way is 100 pounds and tried to tell me she understood) and I haven't been able to stop crying since. I hate that I can't bend over to tie my shoes, I hate that I can't keep a pair of jeans for longer than 4 months without getting holes in the crotch from the rubbing, I hate that I can't cross my legs, I hate having rashes and the way I smell, and most of all I hate that my poor kids are always bored because I never want to get up as I don't have the energy to do much more beyond getting myself to work every day. You would think that all of this would give me enough motivation to just take the weight off but it doesn't. Instead I get even more depressed, and I eat even more. I know it's wrong yet I keep eating and eating…3 helpings sometimes and then I proceed to eat what is leftover on the kids's plates because I can't bare to waste food. I'm sick. I don't know why I can't stop but it's really spiraling out of control and I need to do something. I got to talking to a couple of friends both of whom I've known for many years. One has had a lap band with much success and the other has had gastric bypass with much success. They both recommended the sleeve ironically. I'm trying to read up on all the surgeries and I guess I feel it may be the right one as well. I've been reading non stop for 3 days now and my next step is to see a doctor. What are the opinions of others on the differences between the three surgeries? My other dilemma, and I know I've read this already from others on here, is am I taking the easy way out or should I just do it with diet and exercise because I have done it before? I've struggled with weight since I was a child. I come from an Italian family where everything revolves around food. I remember my grandmother would make ravioli and at the young age of 6 years old, she would encourage me to eat 10 of them. Then when I ate 10, she would encourage me to eat another 2. Then there was dessert…and never just one choice. It went on like this for years until finally I moved away from my family and decided to try and see what I could do to lose the weight now that food wasn't around every corner. I did everything from good old diet and exercise to fasting. I could never keep it off longer than a month or so. Finally, around the age of 25, after my first son was born, I took most of it off and got down to 125 pounds, which is still heavy for a 5 foot tall woman. It took so much effort that my life had to revolve around diet and exercise. I took Xenadrine, which is now off the shelves (hmmm, I wonder why), I walked to and from work, was on my feet at work teaching all day, ran 4 miles or more each day on top of that, ate absolutely no dairy and very few carbs, ate 5-6 tiny meals each day, and never ever ate after 4pm. I followed every diet tip known to man and was still considered overweight for my height and build. All that work and all it took was me taking a desk job for it to all go to crap. I had lost my teaching job and began working in an office that I couldn't walk to, sat all day, and immediately the weight gain started and I was back to 180 in a matter of months, even though I kept doing most of the other things. Xenadrine was taken off the shelves and there went another 20 pound increase. My lifestyle now would not even allow for part of that. I have three children, barely have time for myself, and I work at a desk for at least 10 hours each day. I get home at 7:00pm starved and just start shoveling the food in. I am really just doing a lot of venting here and would love for someone to tell me I am looking in the right direction with the option of surgery. I plan to make an appointment here in the next few weeks with a doctor but it always helps to have the support of others who understand. If someone thinks I should just suck it up and get myself to diet the normal way again, please say so Thanks for hearing me out and I will be around reading more and more and educating myself as much as possible. I will keep everyone up to date on what the doctor says once I get the appointment.

I'm in Newnan. Just starting the process. Will be using Emory Johns Creek. I'm still deciding between the sleeve and bypass.

If your blood sugar is skyrocketing, call your doctor and let them know it isn't working for you. My doc and I have been adjusting and adding, trying to help me get there. I have a similar story. I've been Type 2 since 2004. I changed doctors a year ago because the doctor I had didn't seem overly concerned that my A1C had climbed to 11 and nothing was bringing it down, even when I ate really low carb, walked everyday, took my medicine. My new doctor was on board with the surgery when I went to her last August, I did my 6 month diet that my insurance requires and I had hoped that I could have surgery in the spring but my A1C had only come down to 9 and the surgeon said that was not good enough. I am not on insulin but I am taking 5 oral medications, and we keep tweaking the dosages and times I take them. I started taking Jardiance last month which is a newer med and costly $180 per month with insurance but it seems to be working. My fastings are down to 120, as long as I watch what I eat it doesn't go much higher. I test like crazy and feel like I'm obsessed with my blood sugar. I don't have labs again until September, but I am hopeful to have better results. If not I don't know where to go, my 6 month diet was Sept thru Feb and my psych visit was last November so my insurance may make me repeat all of that. I have been so frustrated too, it seems like I'm working so hard and not getting there. I've seen so many people have their surgery already and I'm still waiting.

Oh and I dont' know how much you have lost, but remember, the lap band goes much slower than bypass. My doc says that 50 pounds in one year is what he hopes to see patients get to. So if you are anywhere around 25 pounds lost than you are on track. Also, tell us what you are doing and maybe we can give you some pointers.

You definitely have to go with your heart when deciding to go through with weight loss surgery. I was contemplating surgery for 3 years before I finally made my first appointment for a consultation. I had to know for sure that I was doing it for me and not because other people might like me more if I was thinner. I also did as much research as I could about gastric bypass, lap band, and the pros and cons. I don't believe that there is anything out there that is 100% safe and 100% effective. You have to know within yourself if you are able to take on whatever challenges you may face. You should also be determined to work as hard as you can to limit the not so good outcomes. Continue to come on the site and read the many different threads. You will learn of the vasts experiences people go through and become familiar with the whole weight loss surgery process. The amount of information I learned on here is far more than any doctor can explain to me. Whether you decide to or not, you'll always have friends on LBT. Good Luck to you!!!

Hi everyone! My name is Amanda. I'm so happy to have found a place to talk with other people. I had gastric bypass on November 12th. This past Friday I had my 2 week post-op visit, since October 24th, I've lost 34lbs. I also started the puréed stage of my diet on Friday. I have good days & bad days(mostly good). On the occasional bad day, I feel like this process isn't going to be successful. Sometimes I can't see the finish line(not that there is a finish, I know it's life long). But most days, I am excited for the future. I have a five year old son & a husband that give me motivation. I'm curious to meet others & see their journey!

I decided in October of last year to have WLS. My doctor recommended the surgeon I'm currently seeing. When I went to the info session he seemed like a personable guy, good credentials, thousands of bandings under his belt. I was excited and made all my appointments right away as I was told. I met with the nutritionalist twice, the pulmonologist, my PCP, cardiologist and psychologist and made further follow up appointments as I was told. Along the way little insignificant information wasn't told to me and that should have been my first clue especially when I got the, "Oh you didn't know?" answer more than once. The lack of information wasn't a big concern because it delayed other appointments but I was still weeks away from a surgical date. Well now the little insignificant information has turned into a major miscommunication. My insurance carrier requires I see a nutritionalist for 6 months. In the info packet from the surgeon I was told I needed to see my PCP for 6 months and follow a doctor prescribed weight loss program. Well that's not true. My insurance carrier requires I see a nutritionalist not my PCP. So now my surgical date will be delayed for another 4 months, (I saw my surgeon's nutritionalist twice in two months). The lesson to be learned here for anyone contemplating WLS please learn all that is required of you. Call your insurance carrier yourself and ask. Make sure you call your surgeon's office often to make sure all the information is correct and accurate. Don't trust the answer of one person. Make sure you ask for comfirmation from someone else in the office. Interview the office help before you decide on your surgeon. I have an appointment on Monday with a different surgeon. I'll interview his staff and may change doctors. Problem is he prefers gastric bypass. At this point I could be talked into it very easily.

Hello everyone, First, I want to say all of you good luck and best wishes. I know my title seemed a little urgent but being an overweighter means that everything is urgent for us, huh? My question to all of those that can help me is this. I live in the Brooklyn, NY area and was going to have the lap band procedure with the CORI center (Centers for Obesity related illnesses) but am now thinking that maybe I shouldn't because......well, this is my story: I have been researching the lap band procedure for over a year in NJ (where I used to live) and wanted to have it but couldn't because I had AETNA POS and they wouldn't pay for it. I kinda had given up until I moved back home (NY) and went to a free seminar for CORI. Well, at the time, I had Medicaid and in NY, they're making you choose a provider for your medicaid. There's a listing of maybe 20-25 choices. Well, after the seminar and talking with the staff that works at CORI and the surgeon who has performed (reportedly) over 1000 weight loss surgeries (lap band and gastric bypass), I felt comfortable with the idea of possibly having the surgery. I mean, it had been a year and after the Atkins diet, I hadn't kept off a pound. I'm 30 years old and have been big all my life. My Mother is big, my Dad is big and throughout my lifetime, I've always been a healthy active person but as I get older, it's getting harder to do so. Not to mention that I get bigger over the years. Anyway.....back to my question. After getting with the Staff there at CORI, they helped me pick a provider that would easily approve the surgery along with the referral from my Primary Physician (wish was a breeze) and everything was good. Part of getting the approval was seeing a Psychiatrist (one time for about 45 mins.), a nutritionist (one time) and having the blood work done to make sure you don't have H-Pylori, etc. Well, all of this has been done and now come to find out, the doctor who had the seminar is on family leave and the staff (reportedly) doesn't know when he's coming back ("it should be after the first of the year")because of this......the doctor who mainly does the lap band surgery, Dr. Schedknuct is overbooked with the other doctor's clients, etc. It's a mess. I have a hard time understanding the fact that the staff doesn't know exactly when the doctor's coming back and of course, I'm now very hurt and impatiently waiting because I have done all of what I was supposed to do and now can't even get an appointment to discuss a surgery date. The seminar was in September. Also, my patient care coordinator at CORI called me 3 days ago to tell me that there was a problem with the contract at Victory Memorial Hospital and the insurance that I chose (Affinity Medicaid) so now I have to change carriers because even though the doctor takes the insurance, the hospital where the surgery will be performed doesn't, now. It's all so crazy, now. I am so pissed off. To choose another insurance that Medicaid offers would have to coincide with CORI and my primary physician and it looks like I'm only left with HIP or GHI. I've read on this site that GHI says no and then you have to appeal. I don't want to drag this out any longer. I feel hopeless. HIP sucks because you have to go their doctors unless you're going to a specialist and I want desperately to keep my primary physician. What should I do? Does anyone know any other physicians locally that takes Affinity Medicaid that comes highly recommended?

My surgeon mentioned the sleeve during the informational seminar. He does not do it-yet. He is waiting on more research for it. He says eventually it will probably replace the bypass. It works as the bypass but less complications. It is permanent. But like the bypass you can gain for same reasons. that's all I remember.

Hi everyone! I had gastric bypass yesterday and although i know this is support for sleeve (which I originally thought was going to happen), recovery is similar. In the pre surgery room, the nurse put a nausea patch on behind my ear. He said it would be good for three days. It must be working. No nausea, no gas pains, they took me off the IV and the morphine drip. I am taking liquid pain relief. The pain is mostly soreness inside but I really feel almost normal except when i get out of bed to walk in the hallway or to use the restroom. Everyone (staff, my surgeon and nurses) all have told me i am doing great and look great too. (Could be the make-up I put on this morning....LOL!). They helped give me a sponge bath and brush my teeth and use deodorant. I will be discharged sometime tomorrow. I am allowed to drink four oz cups of hot tea or diluted juice or broth. The ice chips have been heavenly. I had sent a flower basket yesterday on my surgery date to my surgeons team because they are so wonderful so they have stopped by or called to say thank you. I got one of the little carnation puppy dog design with Fall flowers and leaves. I was told the doctor's office loves it. I know everyone's bodies are different but I truly hope for a smooth surgery and recovery for you. Thanks!

LapBandTalk.com is a wealth of weight loss and healthy lifestyle tips, a source of information specific to your situation, and a place where you can locate and connect to the best bariatric surgeons in your are. Despite this abundance of resources, most of our members come here for another reason: the positivity. Our members are supportive, encouraging and empathetic. But among the general population, it’s a different story due to misinformation and hasty judgments. Why Weight Loss Surgery Misinformation is Rampant In the age of digital media, information can be immediately available to millions of people as soon as someone posts it online using a laptop, smartphone or other mobile device. Unfortunately, nothing is automatically censored, so misinformation is just as easy to spread as facts. In the blink of an eye, people can post random thoughts via Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms without even realizing that their followers may take their intended musings as hard data. How People Choose What to Believe Many people are unable to distinguish between weight loss surgery fact and fiction because they simply do not know enough to make a sound judgment. Some people are cynical by nature, and have a tendency to instinctively believe the worst when they are presented with opposing facts. These people, for example, may automatically believe that weight loss surgery is harmful and ineffective instead of low-risk and healthy for the right patients. Common Myths If you want to combat widespread weight loss surgery information, you should know some of the common myths and how to respond with the truth. These are some common false beliefs surrounding bariatric surgery and their realities. Myth: It’s a quick and easy fix. Reality: It’s not quick, and it’s not easy. Surgery does not make you lose a single pound. You lose the excess weight over the course of years through diet and exercise modifications. Myth: It’s dangerous and invasive. Reality: Complications are rare for lap-band procedures, and they are usually minor, such as needing an adjustment in band location. Roux-n-Y can cause nutrient deficiencies, but you work with a dietitian and have frequent check-ups to lower your risk. The procedures take less than two hours, and full recovery takes a few days to a couple of weeks. Myth: You don’t have to change your diet, or, you can only eat a limited variety of foods. Reality: The truth lies somewhere in between. You are encourage to eat a nutritious diet and avoid high-fat, high-sugar foods as well as liquid calories. What Can You Do? With instantaneous transmission of information, rumors spread like wildfires in the social stratosphere. Worse, rumors can easily because widely accepted as facts. How can you help to combat this harmful gossip? These are a few possibilities. Fight fiction with fact: Social networking platforms, such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter are just as good for spreading truth as they are at spreading lies. Every time you come across an inaccurate or demeaning statement about weight loss surgery, stand up for you and your friends who have had weight loss surgery. Be a good example: Most people tend to base their judgments on what or whom they know. If they know one person (you) with weight loss surgery, they’ll base their judgments on you. Hopefully, they will realize the benefits of bariatric surgery when they see you eating well every day, exercising regularly, being more productive at work and being a happier, healthier person overall. Emphasize that not all bariatric surgery options are the same. Roux-n-Y is irreversible and more drastic than Lap Band procedures, which take less than an hour. Can Celebrities Help? Celebrities can be spokespeople for the cause. If you know of any celebrities who are bariatric surgery pateints, consider contacting them and asking them to be more verbal about the cause. Nobody can get the message across like a celebrity. These are a few examples of famous people with bariatric surgery. Carnie Wilson, television host and singer: Roux-n-Y, 1999; laparoscopic band over bypass, 2012 Star Jones Reynolds, television host: gastric bypass, 2003 Brian Dennehy, actor: Lap-Band, 2008 As a bariatric surgery patient or someone who is considering the procedure, what are your thoughts? How can we change the negative perceptions surrounding aftercare? Does the terminology need to be changed? Can some sort of publicity campaign online or in the offline media be helpful? As an individual, can you be a role model to demonstrate that you have worked hard for every pound that you have lost, and that you are continuing each day to make healthy choices in your diet and exercise? Let us know what you think!

Hi and sorry , but just hang on. I had my band unfilled in November. I am up to 6 cc but have no restriction. I am having faith that this fill on Friday will be the one to give me restriction. I do agree there is a big difference in the band before and now, but Im hoping for the best. Good luck to you.

Does it really matter who gets done first? If he's getting banded and your getting the bypass, you'll probaly pass him in weight loss before a year is up. I assume your speaking of your DH and I can tell you if I were in your shoes I would just be happy for him. You know unselfish Anyway that's the type of marrage I have. And sorry to say this but at your age you should know by now life is not fair. I don't mean to sound harsh but I just hate it when adults say that. There are bigger things in this world that are not fair. but anyway I do wish you the best and try to be happy for him.

Dont waste ur time going to True Results-Houston if you were not banded thru them. They dnt see outside patients. Im one of their patients and I havent had...No let me rephrase that... they WILL NOT give me a fill since November! Saying that im tight enough but yet im alwayz hungry and im not losing any weight!!

A friend of mine said that she is getting the bypass done instead of the band, because it is too easy to cheat on the band. Is this true?

So I was really keen to do this and I've booked in my first consultation for the 7th November (earliest I could get in) but now I'm not sure. Is it the "cheaters" way out? Am I giving up too easily? I just don't know. Should I focus on making sure I cut out all the crap in my diet and go exercising and I'll get the same results without surgery? Is it just simply about education? I was sitting here talking to my sister and we found out that the orange juice I'm drinking at the moment is MUCH worse than drinking the same amout in Coca Cola? What the hell?? I knew juice wasn't that good, but gosh I didn't realise it was that bad. It just looks better to drink the orange juice than the coke. I'm not dissing this idea, and I'm going to go and see the doctors, just so many thoughts running through my head. I guess my question is, how has the lap band helped you?

I joined WW last week. So far it realy seems to be helping me stay on track. I also feel like I really need the weekly weigh in for accountability. My weight control center has monthly eeting but they seem to be targeted to bypass, so I really like having a weekly meeting!

Misinformation about Weight Loss Surgery If you have ever who has discussed weight loss surgery with uninformed individuals, you know that the initial reaction is likely to be negative and backed by false information or no information at all. Many people who have not investigated weight loss surgery believe that the surgery is a quick fix for lazy people. They may think that you can walk in off the street and leave from bariatric surgery a couple hundred pounds lighter; that you chose to ignore your weight for years; and that all bariatric surgery is the same;. Wrong, wrong and wrong. These misperceptions contribute to the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. People may look down on surgery as the “easy way out” for “lazy people,” instead of as a tool for hard-working people to have the opportunity to lead the healthy lives that everyone should have the chance to lead. You already know that you’re not lazy and that bariatric surgery is not a magic bullet; the next time you run across an uninformed, disparaging individual, you can patiently explain to them the steps of the process and the hard work you and every other successful weight loss surgery patient puts in. Not Everyone is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery You can’t just “go get bariatric surgery,” and this is an important fact to understand to reduce the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. Each weight loss center has strict eligibility requirements that you have to meet before you can become a candidate. In general, patients must be morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40, or have a BMI over 35 and have health complications related to being overweight; for example, you might be eligible if you have a BMI of 35 and already have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels. Most clinics have additional eligibility criteria that you need to meet before being considered as a potential bariatric surgery candidate. You need to have been overweight for several years, usually over five years. You also need to show that you have tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight multiple times through diet alone. You cannot be a smoker or be an abuser of alcohol or drugs because the additional health risks from surgery will be too great. Pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant soon should not have bariatric surgery because pregnancy is only safe after your weight is constant. The decision to have surgery requires significant consideration and planning. Bariatric Surgery Requires Preparation Bariatric surgery itself does not guarantee permanent weight loss success, and much of the responsibility for losing weight will be up to you. Even after going through the screening process and learning that your clinic agrees that some form of bariatric surgery is right for you, several steps remain before you can undergo the procedure. The steps are in place to ensure that you are likely to succeed with the surgery and are not signing up on a whim. You will meet your bariatric team members, including your surgeon, dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases, you will undergo a psychological interview or series of tests to make sure that you are capable of sticking to the required diet. You may be asked to follow a specific diet for weeks before your scheduled surgery to demonstrate your commitment and ability to succeed after the operation. This step may also be required by your health insurance company for your bariatric procedure to be covered. There are Risks People need to understand that you can’t take bariatric surgery lightly. Each type of surgery has risks, although different processes are riskier than others. The lap band is relatively low-risk, with minor concerns of the band slipping out of place or infections at the incision site. Roux-n-Y gastric bypass carries a higher rate of complications, including ulcers, spleen injuries, leakage through staples and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. Nobody would choose to have a bariatric procedure if they weren’t convinced that they had tried all of their other options to get healthy. It’s a Long Process Bariatric surgery is a crucial milestone, but it is early in your weight loss journey and bariatric care plan. After surgery, you will continue to have follow-up appointments with your surgeon as dictated by your health and type of weight loss surgery. You will also meet with your dietitian regularly to stay on track with your diet. Most clinics have optional or mandatory support groups to motivate you and provide opportunities to ask your surgeon and fellow patients questions in a group setting. The surgery does not take off any weight. It’s a tool to make it easier for the patient to follow the proper diet for the long term. Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not lose any weight during the surgery. All of the weight that you lose is because of changes to your diet. The surgical procedures help you eat less by limiting the size of your stomach and making you feel full faster. Even if you lose 100 pounds in your first year, which is a standard benchmark for success, you may still have more weight to lose. Once you reach your goal weight, you still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. In Conclusion You’re already familiar with the intensive efforts required for weight loss surgery, but unfortunately, most people are not. This often leads to negative reactions when you tell them about your procedure. An important step you can take in reducing the stigma is to explain that the procedure is a component of an overall program to improve your health through lifestyle modifications.

In November I will be 1yr out from surgery and I am only at 3cc's. I've only lost 30lbs and feel very frustrated. I have an appt on the 21st for a fill and plan to talk to my doctor about not feeling any restriction. There are days where I feel hungry all day when I follow my portion guidelines. I have another 30lbs to lose and really hoped to be at my goal way before my 1yr surgery anniversary.